Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer believe a lack of firepower ultimately cost Arsenal in their heartbreaking Champions League semi-final loss to PSG.
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Arsenal knocked out in last fourBeaten 3-1 on aggregateShearer and Lineker blame lack of No.9Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Arsenal's Champions League campaign came to a disappointing end at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. Despite a promising start in the second leg, the Gunners failed to capitalise on their early pressure and were ultimately undone by PSG's clinical finishing and a series of outstanding saves from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. The French champions will now face Inter Milan in the final.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Arsenal's exit highlights a recurring theme throughout their season – a lack of cutting edge in the final third. While their build-up play and attacking intent were evident, they struggled to convert chances against a resolute PSG defence, and both Lineker and Shearer believe they must source a striker this summer. They have been linked with Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike, as well as Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko.
WHAT GARY LINEKER AND ALAN SHEARER SAID
Lineker said on The Rest is Football: "They started the game really well but you don't need to be a footballing Einstein to work out what Arsenal's problem is, and has been all season: A lack of firepower. There were so many good little balls into the box with nobody there."
Shearer continued: "Albeit they've come up against an incredible goalkeeper who made some fantastic saves, the one from Martin Odegaard down to his left was off the charts, a great save… There were so many balls going into the box and I was thinking 'come on, somebody's got to make a run, somebody's got to anticipate where the ball's going' and yeah, we've been saying it all season, about their need for a centre-forward. They know that, everyone knows that, and that showed again."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?
Arsenal face Liverpool this weekend. While the Gunners may have hoped that fixture would be decisive at the start of the season, they will instead give the champions a guard of honour.
